Pants stretcher and pleat holder



Aug. 1, 1950 c. M CAULEY PANTS STRETCHER AND- PLEAT HOLDER Filed June 4, 1946 Patented Aug. 1, 1950 i v 2,517,331, I

PANTS STRETEHER ANDPEEAT HUBD'ER" GlarenceMcGauley, Pacific Grove, Cal-if. AipplicationJune I, 1946, Serial-Norfi'i i fifil' 2. Claims. (01. sir-12).

This invention relates to a pants or trousers stretcher and skirt or dress pleat holder, and more particularly to such a device adapted to be utilized for stretching garments such as pants or pleated skirts to proper size and arrangement before pressing thereof.

A primary object of this-invention is the. pro-- vision of an improved device. of this character adapted to stretch the cuffs of pants or trousers in position on the buck of a steam pressing machine, and provided with means whereby creases in the trousers, or collapsed pleats in skirts or dresses may be realigned prior to the pressing operation thereof, thus avoiding the necessity of the use of the operators hands and consequent burns.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a device which may be readily utilized with various types and sizes of pressing machine bucks.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one form of device embodying features of the instant invention shown as applied to the buck of a pressing machine.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a pressing machine buck showing the device of the instant invention applied thereto, parts thereof being broken away.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to Figure 2, but showing the device as applied to a skirt or the like being pleated.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the device showing a different use thereof.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View showing certain operative portions of the mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, there is generally indicated at II] a pressing machine buck provided with a supporting member I l of conventional configuration. The device of the instant invention comprises a handle l2 extending into an arcuate concavo-convex portion 13 adapted to extend over the arcuate surface of the buck, which terminates in an inwardly curved extremity 14 adapted to substantially encircle one side of the buck and extend therebeneath. The extremity lfl-is providedwith aleeve li having in terior threads for the accommodation ot'a screw l6 having a head Il the arrangement-being such thatrotation of the: screw will seat the hea'd l against the under side of the buck in suchmanner that the device ma'y be readily adjusted to accommodate variousthicknesses of padding on related devices.

At theextremity "of the arcuate portion I3 where it merges into a portion l8 at substantially right angles thereto, which latter portion terminates in the hook I previously described, there is provided a projecting iron-shaped point If), including a triangular top section ."Zfl terminating in a point 2|, and tapered, as at 22, into the body of the tool.

Should it be desired to stretch a pair of pants preparatory to their being subjected to a pressing operation, a leg of the pants 25, Figure 2, is laid longitudinally upon the arcuate surface of the buck ID with the cuff of said leg being adjacent the narrow end of the buck, as clearly shown in the aforesaid figure. With the pants leg thus positioned upon the buck It), the device of the present invention is positioned transversely of the arcuate surface of the buck and the edge of the arcuate portion I3 is brought into tight contacting engagement with the pants leg just above or over the cufl 26. While the arcuate portion l3 if held in such contacting engagement, the pants leg is manually stretched to the desired size and shape.

Figure 3 shows a use of the device of the present invention applied to stretching a pleated skirt 21. In this case, the skirt is laid longitudinally upon the arcuate surface of the buck ID with the band of the skirt adjacent the narrow end of the buck. With the skirt thus positioned upon the buck, the device of the present invention is positioned transversely of the arcuate surface of the buck and the edge of the arcuate portion 13 is brought into contacting engagement with the skirt adjacent the band. While the skirt is held by the skirt band, the arcuate portion 13, while being maintained in contacting engagement with the skirt, is moved longitudinally toward the hem of the skirt. When the arcuate portion has been advanced to about over the hem of the skirt, it is held at such point and a manually-directed pull is exerted longitudinally upon the skirt band to thereby stretch the skirt to its desired size and shape.

The iron point NJ, as shown in Figure 4, may be utilized for straightening out collapsed pants seams. In this case, the pants are turned wrong side out, and a leg is laid longitudinally upon the arcuate surface of the buck with the collapsed seam facing upwardly. With the leg thus positioned, the point 19 is inserted between the folds of the collapsed seam adjacent the cuff and then caused to be moved longitudinally therealong. This operation is repeated on the opposite collapsed seam of the pants leg. In this way, the collapsed seams on both legs of the pants may be restored to their original condition.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided a device which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a rigid handle portion, rigid concave-convex portion extending from said handle portion and adapted to be positioned transversely over the buck of a pressing machine, an inwardly curved rigid portion at the opposite end of said concavoconvex portion at substantially right angles to said handle portion and terminating in a hookshaped member positionable beneath the buck, and an engaging means positioned in said hookshaped member for accommodating the latter to the under side surface of said buck.

2. In a device of the character described, a rigid handle portion, a rigid concavo-convex portion extending from said handle portion and adapted to be positioned transversely over the buck of a pressing machine, an inwardly curved rigid portion at the opposite end of said concavo-convex portion at substantially right angles to said handle portion and terminating in a hook-shaped member positionable beneath the buck, and an adjusting screw positioned in said hook-shaped member for accommodating the latter to the under side surface of said buck.

CLARENCE MCCAULEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,560,191 Allen Nov. 3, 1925 2,308,205 Patterson Jan. 12, 1943 2,452,891 Amber Nov. 2, 1948 

